


you're my cup of tea

by lesmiserablol



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bad Jokes, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Canon Era, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Pick-Up Lines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25342219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesmiserablol/pseuds/lesmiserablol
Summary: Sokka blinks in surprise. He’s not entirely sure what he expected Zuko’s reaction to be, but it certainly wasn’t...this. He is laughing, and not just a chuckle, this is a full body laugh that Sokka had no idea the firebender was capable of. He’s leaning forward, clutching his side, his shoulders shaking, and a look of mirth and delight on his face that makes Sokka’s stomach do some cartwheels. That’s a weird feeling. But it’s also...really nice.(in which Sokka discovers just how much he likes to make Zuko laugh)
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 119
Kudos: 1557





	you're my cup of tea

**Author's Note:**

> I found this wip just sitting in my drafts and decided to release it into the wild. Mostly takes place between Western Air Temple and Sozin's Comet.

“...the punchline is, ‘leaf me alone, I’m bushed’!” Zuko finishes, waiting for a reaction. 

Most of the group groans, and Zuko’s face falls. “It’s better when Uncle tells it.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, pal, I’m sure you’re just out of practice,” Sokka shrugs. Zuko smiles at him and Sokka notices how their fingers brush as Zuko hands him a cup of tea. “Don’t worry, spending time around me is bound to do wonders for your humor.”

“Not in a good way,” Toph pipes up, and Sokka scoffs. 

“Rude! Here, watch how it’s done,” Sokka says, and Zuko looks at him curiously as he takes a seat next to him. “What do teapots wear to a party?”

The rest of the group looks at him in silence, waiting for the punchline, and he lets the quiet drag out for another second for effect before saying, “A T-shirt!”

It has the expected reaction: Katara rolls her eyes but he can see her lips twitch, Aang smiles politely but doesn’t laugh, Toph crosses her arms across her chest as if the pun personally insulted her, and Zuko-

Sokka blinks in surprise. He’s not entirely sure what he expected Zuko’s reaction to be, but it certainly wasn’t...this. He is laughing, and not just a chuckle, this is a full body laugh that Sokka had no idea the firebender was capable of. He’s leaning forward, clutching his side, his shoulders shaking, and a look of mirth and delight on his face that makes Sokka’s stomach do some cartwheels. That’s a weird feeling. But it’s also...really nice. 

He grins in victory. “Thank you, Zuko! It feels nice to be appreciated around here for once.”

Zuko doesn’t respond, still occupied with his laughter, and the other three are now watching him warily, looking confused and also concerned. 

“Zuko, you don’t have to pity him,” Katara shakes her head, and Zuko gives her a surprised look as he regains control of himself. 

“Pity? That was a great joke,” he says defensively, and Sokka beams, throwing an arm around his friend's shoulder. He realizes that Zuko is very warm and he has no intention of moving his arm away any time soon.

“I’m going to quote you on that,” he says gleefully. “Jerkbender here thinks I tell great jokes!”

“Do you know any more?” Zuko asks hesitantly, and Sokka grins as everyone else groans and leaves to get ready for bed. 

* * *

The next time Sokka tells a joke, something magical happens. 

They are sitting around a fire for the first time that week. They missed a few days due to the visit to Boiling Rock and then Katara's field trip with Zuko, and it is nice to go back to the familiar routine, even if they are no longer at the Western Air Temple. Zuko is again passing out his tea, and Sokka is waiting for the window of opportunity to share his new joke. He takes the cup from Zuko with a smile and as he raises the cup to his lips, he catches Toph and Katara subtly dump their tea in a nearby bush. He raises an eyebrow at his sister, who shrugs, and then he takes a sip. Sure, it’s not the best tea. Like Zuko himself, it takes a little getting used to. But it’s really not too terrible. Plus, Zuko worked so hard at it, he is appreciative of the gesture. 

“Hey Zuko,” he begins. “Why did the teapot get in trouble?”

Zuko is already smiling slightly. It looks like his face is not used to the movement, but he’s trying. “Why?” 

“Because he was naught-tea!” Sokka answers, watching in delight as Zuko’s face immediately splits into a wider, more natural grin and he begins laughing. He continues laughing, and laughing, and Sokka is aware that he’s staring but he can’t look away to notice the pointed look between Aang and Katara. 

And then - Zuko snorts. As soon as it happens, his eyes go wide, but he can’t stop laughing and snorting even as he holds a hand to his face in an attempt to control himself. 

Sokka starts laughing too. Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation, snorts when he laughs, and this information is endlessly hilarious to Sokka. It’s also incredibly adorable. 

The thought comes to his mind before he can stop it, and he halts his laughter immediately. The others don’t notice, Aang and Katara are unable to resist the infectious laughter and have joined in while Toph smirks. 

Adorable? Where the hell did that come from? Since when did “adorable” apply to talking about Zuko, the man who tried hunting them down for so long? 

_Since you discovered how to make him laugh,_ a voice in his head tells him. 

Sokka shakes his head. No, he loves making everyone laugh, Zuko isn’t special. Well, yes, he is special, in his own way, but that’s not- 

“Tell me another one,” Zuko says, his laughter dying, and Sokka beams. 

Well, if he insists. 

* * *

A new tradition is born in the days leading up to Sozin's comet. Zuko makes tea, he passes it around as they sit around the fire, and then he takes a seat next to Sokka, looking at him expectantly. Sokka runs out of tea puns, so he starts coming up with other jokes. He has never had such an appreciative audience, and he thoroughly enjoys the attention and flattery. 

It has nothing to do with the intoxicating sound of Zuko’s laughter, with the cute shade of red that his face turns, with the snorts that he has learned to embrace. And the jokes actually make Zuko happy - Zuko, who as Sokka learns, has had it way more rough than Sokka had imagined. Sokka had assumed he lived a nice, happy, comfortable life, but he finds out the truth and he covers up the anger he feels on Zuko’s behalf by giving him what joy he has to offer through his cheesy jokes. If he can make Zuko happy for a few moments, well, there’s nothing wrong with that! He’s just being a good friend. 

So one night he panics when Zuko hands him his tea and starts to take a seat. He hasn’t prepared anything, and a day that included sparring with Zuko left his mind without much brain power left. Everyone turns to Sokka expectantly, and he glances from the cup in his hand to Zuko. 

“Hot tea from a hottie,” he says, smirking. Everyone falls silent for a second before Sokka’s face drops in horror as he realizes what he just said, and Toph is the first one to burst out laughing. The rest of the group follows, including Zuko. Sokka feels his face get warm and he pushes Zuko teasingly. 

* * *

“Katara, there’s a problem.” Sokka takes a deep breath. “I think...I like Zuko. As more than a friend.”

Katara looks significantly less surprised than Sokka was expecting. “You’ve been flirting with him for two weeks, Sokka.”

Sokka’s jaw drops. “What? What are you talking about?”

“All the jokes you’ve been telling him?” she smirks. “Come on, it’s clear you are trying to get him to laugh. And the look on your face when it works is not very subtle.”

“Can you blame me?” Sokka says quickly, defensively. “His laugh is the greatest sound in the world! And his smile when he hears a good joke? It’s the best. And I just want to make him happy, I think he-“

“Okay, I get it.” Katara makes a face. “You don’t need to tell me all the things you like about Zuko.”

“What do I do about this?” Sokka hisses through his teeth. 

Katara looks at her brother - at his pleading eyes, his desperate frown - and sighs. “You have to make the first move. Zuko’s not going to do anything.”

“Okay,” Sokka nods, determined. “I’m going to make a move.”

He doesn’t make a move. Instead, he just keeps doing what he does best: telling corny jokes. 

He pores over maps with Zuko to discuss where the Fire Nation Airships will be, and at one point he looks up and says, “I think I need another map, because I keep getting lost in your eyes.”

Zuko just blushes and keeps on talking. 

The two of them sit side by side, watching Toph and Aang practice their bending, and Sokka turns to him. 

“Are you an earthbender? Because you rock my world,” Sokka smiles. 

Zuko looks confused. “You know I’m a firebender, Sokka.”

“Ah, of course. Because you’re so hot.”

They’re interrupted by a rock that barely misses hitting their heads. 

Zuko prepares tea that night and Sokka says, “You must have been a tea leaf in your past life, because you are so pret-tea.” 

That only results in Aang and Zuko launching into a complex conversation about reincarnation that Sokka tunes out. 

It isn’t until the last minute that Sokka realizes he may be running out of chances and decides to finally do something. And by last minute, he means _last minute._

“Zuko, wait!” he says, stopping him as he prepares to climb on Appa. Zuko turns around curiously at Sokka. 

“What?” he asks, inhaling sharply when Sokka steps closer to him than normal. 

“Can I borrow a good luck kiss from you?” Sokka says quietly. “I promise to give it back.”

Zuko’s eyes widen, but then he nods, watching Sokka as if he’s going to change his mind. Sokka just cups Zuko’s cheek and closes the distance with a gentle kiss. Zuko’s lips are chapped but warm, and Sokka smiles against them as Zuko’s hands land on his waist, kissing him back. 

Sokka pulls back and Zuko chases his lips for a moment before reluctantly opening his eyes to a smiling Sokka. 

“Yeah, that kiss was pretty fire,” Sokka says, licking his lips. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Zuko laughs, smiling widely with his cheeks burning red. The view is even better this close. 

“Maybe, but you still love my jokes,” Sokka replies, then he pauses. “Wait, you do like my jokes, right? You weren’t just laughing to flirt with me, were you?”

Zuko smirks. “We should go. I’ll tell you once we win this thing, yeah?”

Sokka pouts, and Zuko gives him another quick kiss that makes him light up again. “Okay, fine. Let’s win this.”

* * *

Zuko is alive. He is injured, and he’s leaning heavily on Katara, but he’s alive, and Sokka could cry from relief. 

Katara helps him sit down on a boulder, and he thanks her before turning his head toward Sokka, a shy smile on his face. Sokka runs to him and barely stops himself from throwing his arms around Zuko, gasping at the scar on his chest. 

“Are you okay?” he asks, settling for grabbing one of Zuko’s hands with both of his. 

“I’ll be fine, thanks to your sister,” Zuko nods, squeezing Sokka’s hand. 

“Zuko, we won,” Sokka grins, hardly able to believe his own words. 

“We may have won the war, Sokka. But _you_ have won my heart,” Zuko says lowly. 

He smiles in satisfaction as Sokka starts laughing immediately, bending down to meet Zuko in another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Come say hi to me on my [Avatar the Last Airbender blog](https://bisexuallsokka.tumblr.com/)


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